E-beams to make drive through expressways a breeze

Under gantry-based tolling, which is expected to replace toll booths by the end of 2017, a fee will be deducted from a motorist's prepaid account when the vehicle crosses an electronic beam stretching across the road.Rajat Arora | ETAuto | December 07, 2016, 09:04 IST

Motorists will soon be able to zip through expressways, thanks to a government plan to install advanced gantry-based tolling systems which will do away with the need for toll booths.

Under gantry-based tolling, which is expected to replace toll booths by the end of 2017, a fee will be deducted from a motorist's prepaid account when the vehicle crosses an electronic beam stretching across the road. The move will help cut road congestion and travel time.

A senior official told ET that the radio frequency identification (RFID) cards being issued by banks for automatic tolling will work at the gantry-based tolling systems too.

The eastern expressway on the Delhi border will be the first highway to have gantry-based tolling along with an advanced highway traffic management system, the official, who did not wish to be named, said.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has agreed to provide Rs 500 crore assistance for the project. “We have requested JICA to provide assistance for more upcoming highways. This would reduce the traffic snarls to zero as there will be no toll plazas for those with automated prepaid cards,“ the official said.

Along with the advanced tolling system, the 135 km eastern corridor will have a variable message display system (VMS) and live signage to guide drivers about road and traffic conditions. The road transport and highways ministry has decided to have such tolling system at all its national highways, starting with the upcoming expressways, the official said.

There will, however, be a separate lane for those wanting to pay toll in cash or through e-wallets.“We could still have a single lane with a toll plaza for those who would want to pay through cash or e-wallets, but for heavy vehicles or daily users, passing through an automated tolling lane would enhance the highway using experience,“ the official said.

The government has been promoting cashless payment of toll fee in a major way since November 8 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced scrapping of old Rs 1,000 notes.

India plans to build at least 16 highways, costing almost Rs 50,000 crore. Three major expressways around Delhi--eastern, western and Meerut expressways--are expected to be thrown open by 2018, as per a revised deadline.